Garcetti v. Ceballos

Holding if an employee does not speak as a citizen on a matter of public concern, "the employee has no First Amendment cause of action based on his or her employer's reaction to the speech"

Board of Regents v. Roth

Holding that where a public employee's appointment terminated on a particular date and there was no provision for renewal after that date, the employee "did not have a property interest sufficient to require . . . a hearing when [the officials] declined to renew his contract of employment."

Connick v. Myers

Holding that an employer need not "allow events to unfold to the extent that the disruption of the office and the destruction of working relationships is manifest before taking action"

Grayned v. City of Rockford

Holding that a statute's words, even when "marked by flexibility and reasonable breadth, rather than meticulous specificity," are clear based on "what the ordinance as a whole prohibits"

Pickering v. Board of Education

Holding teacher's dismissal for criticizing school board unconstitutional

New York Times Co. v. Sullivan

Holding that a public official or public figure can recover damages for defamation on a matter of public concern only if he proves that the speaker acted with actual malice

Rankin v. McPherson

Holding clerical employee's dismissal for supporting assassination attempt on President unconstitutional

Sampson v. Murray

Holding that possibility of backpay obviates risk of irreparable harm

Waters v. Churchill

Holding that basing a termination decision on "the word of two trusted employees, the endorsement of those employees’ reliability," and "a face-to-face meeting with the employee he fired" was reasonable and "no further time needed to be taken"

Roth v. United States

Holding that California obscenity statute was not preempted by federal law prohibiting the mailing of obscene material because the state law did not burden or interfere with the federal postal functions

Section 166 - Congressional Research Service